Here’s a selection of 10 high-quality dollhouses with developmental benefits that will appeal to toddlers and withstand a lifetime of play.
Dollhouses are timeless and full of activity. How many hours did we spend engrossed in our own dollhouses growing up? Of course these classic toys still endure today with our own kids, and this time around they’re sleeker in design and functionality. Most importantly, dollhouse play has developmental benefits like encouraging exploration, imagination and creative play, improved object recognition, understanding how things work, promoting natural curiosity and creative thinking, as well as problem solving.
It can get pretty overwhelming with so many brands and types of dollhouses out there. Luckily this toy-crazy mom did most of the research for you! So to help make the right choice, here’s 10 of today’s most high-quality dollhouses for both toddlers and big kids too.
1. Plan Toys Chalet Dollhouse With Furniture
Classic wooden toys never go out of style, and they’re even more sought-after today because of their quality, durability, and non-toxic materials. The Plan Toy Chalet Doll House
My daughter loves playing with this particular Chalet dollhouse at her doctor’s office with other toddlers in the waiting room, and it comes with a full set of furniture which is great. Plus it can be arranged in a variety of ways, which helps to encourage both creative and critical thinking as well.
- To see more dollhouses choices by Plan Toys, click here…
2. Mademoiselle Dollhouse By Janod
There really is something irresistible about those feminine, princess pink dollhouses. It speaks to our own inner princess and those dreams of having a gigantic pink mansion all to ourselves. Janod Madamoiselle Dollhouse
Using a simple “slide and slot” design, the entire Mademoiselle dollhouse is held together with 6 sturdy wooden knobs that are designed to look like charming pink shrubs. A wooden bar is fitted on top (camouflaged by a pink roof), making this large dollhouse easy to transport without taking it apart. This dollhouse also comes with a full set of pink, white, and natural wood color furniture as well.
3. Pop To Play Castle Of Wonders By Djeco
As kids grow older, some of them outright reject any toy that comes across as too “baby-ish.” This was the exact case with my own niece. Along with craft kits, jewelry, and books, I knew she still liked playing with her old dollhouses from time to time. But instead of dolls, she was much more attracted to Papo’s realistic figurines of fairies, queens, pirates, and wizards.
She didn’t enjoy so much resorting to her old Barbie dream house to display her figurines, so when her birthday came around, I settled on Djeco’s Pop to Play Castle of Wonders
4. Calico Critters Manor
If you’re shopping for a child 4+ who loves toys like My Little Pony or littlest pet shop, then now is definitely the right time to introduce them to the world of Calico Critters. These charming animal dolls come in a wide variety of species, like elephants, otters, polar bears, and border collies! The most exciting thing about them are their miniature outfits, food items and appliances, cars, and of course dollhouses.
The Calico Critters Cloverleaf Manor
5. Plan Toys Victorian Dollhouse
I’ve always found that dollhouses make particularly memorable gifts for major holidays like Christmas and Hanukah. My daughter was captivated by the Plan Toys’ Victorian style dollhouse
6. Melissa & Doug Fold n’ Go Dollhouse
Dollhouses don’t have to be these gigantic things that take up too much space in the house. In fact, they can be just as much when they’re smaller and more portable. That’s exactly what the Melissa & Doug Fold & Go dollhouse
This small dollhouse also comes with a complete set of furniture like many of the products on this list, and you’d be surprised by how much you can really pack in there. This dollhouse is perfect for preschoolers because it’s lightweight enough for them to transport by themselves, plus it comes packed with all the accessories needed to create scenes and plays.
- Click here
to see more series of Melissa & Doug’s Fold & Go Dollhouses.
7. Melissa & Doug Folding Princess Castle
Melissa & Doug makes such a wide variety of wooden toys its fantastic! After I became a little more familiar with their Fold n’ Go Dollhouse, I sought out some of their other folding wooden dollhouse products. I particularly loved their Folding Princess Castle
The pastel printing on the natural wood surface is particularly charming and appealing, making it a great gift for a princess-themed birthday party. I will definitely have my eye on this when my daughters 4th birthday draws near. This item also comes in a medieval castle theme as well, which is a more gender-neutral choice overall.
8. Camden Rose Three Story Cherry Wood Dollhouse
Dollhouses are timeless toys that should be built to last. That’s why I veer on the side of wooden toys for the most part. The Camden Rose Three-Story Cherry Wood Dollhouse
This dollhouse is the real deal up close, and the cherry wood smells amazing! To keep it looking its best for years, treat it as you would any other fine wooden furniture.
9. KidKraft Beachfront Mansion With Furniture
KidKraft is definitely a popular wooden dollhouse brand that makes a pretty wide variety of themed dollhouses. With Spring in full effect and Summer on the way, their popular Beachfront Mansion
Their houses are compatible with most dollhouse brands, but I find they’re particularly suited to Groovy Girls dolls because of the bright colors and design. The beachfront mansion is fine for preschoolers, but it’s more of a big-girl dollhouse than the Plan Toys Chalet or Melissa & Doug Fold n’ Go dollhouses.
- See all of KidKraft’s dollhouses series here…
10. My First Dollhouse By Plan Toys
Sometimes all you need is a clean and simple wooden dollhouse. I’ve put this dollhouse together many times, and I still admire its retro-style wallpaper, classic architectural features, and spacious 2-story design. Like the Plan Toys Chalet dollhouse, I see this dollhouse
When it comes to choosing dollhouses this year, it’s important to weigh more than just popularity when making your decision. You want a dollhouse that’s going to withstand a lifetime of play and still excite that next generation of kids in your family. Make sure to keep this list on hand for upcoming birthdays and the holiday season!
I love this post. Perhaps it’s because I have six daughters (and a son) and cherish the hours they spent creating entire worlds around their dollhouses.
I have to second your point that it’s important to seek out a dollhouse that will last, which is also why we went with the wooden versions – our two are most like number ten. They’re durable, attractive, gender-neutral usually, and can take a beating, which even sweet little girls can dish out. They can even be painted, wall-papered, and otherwise decorated if the mood hits, and then they can be re-decorated later when the children are older and their tastes have veered away from pink sparkles. My girls played with their dollhouses well beyond six years, and they’ve endured for 15 years so far with very little repair. I’m expecting to keep them for the grandchildren. 🙂
I was so happy to see Calico “Creatures” (as my youngest two girls call them) made your list! They are such darling little toys. My kids can’t get enough of them! One word of “caution,” however: many of the outfits and accessories tie on. The little ones absolutely cannot do this by themselves, and the ties and outfits are so tiny that I find it difficult to tie them. One suggestion is hiding all the tying parts – ha ha! Another is assigning a teen the task of tying, if you happen to have an unoccupied teen around the house.
Thanks for this great list! I’ll be pinning this!
All of these doll houses are so cute! I am the mom of a little boy right now, but I hope to have a girl someday. I would love to get her one of these. If not … I have lots of little nieces to spoil! 🙂 I especially like the Calico Critters Manor. It has so much detail and design! Adorable.
There’s no reason why your boy can’t have a dollhouse! 6 or 7 of these dollhouses could easily be for boys too. It’s developmentally appropriate for girls and boys both to play house, mimic what they see in the world around them, and work out imaginary or real-life scenarios.
for boys look at the kidkraft fire station…bought it for my 4 year old grandson…absolutely amazing and you get so much quality furniture with it……
All the doll houses look so good. I would love to buy the KidKraft Beachfront Mansion for my 3 years old girl and I think she will be happy to get it.